Tulsa, Oklahoma

Site of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre where a prosperous Black community known as Black Wall Street was destroyed over two days of violence.

You're passing a place that rose from the ashes of one of America's worst race massacres: Mount Zion Baptist Church. On June 1st, 1921, the original Mount Zion Baptist Church, a cornerstone of Tulsa's thriving Greenwood…

Considered one of the finest examples of ecclesiastical Art Deco architecture, this church is a stunning visual landmark. In 1929, the Boston Avenue Methodist Church was completed in downtown Tulsa. It was built by a…

Think of this spot as Tulsa's 9-1-1 center from way back when! This Art Deco building, the Tulsa Fire Alarm Building, was the heart of the city's fire response system starting in 1931. Before cell phones, Tulsa relied…

Built as a luxury residence for oil executives, this hotel whispers tales of Tulsa's oil boom era. General Patrick Hurley opened the Ambassador Hotel in 1929, envisioning it as a high-end, extended-stay option for Tulsa…

You're driving over music right now. In 2026, Tulsa installed Oklahoma's first-ever musical road on the Southwest Boulevard Bridge — grooves cut into the pavement that play Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land" when…

Before 1972, this bridge was part of the iconic U.S. Route 66, carrying travelers across the Arkansas River. It's more than just concrete and steel; it's a piece of Americana. The 11th Street Bridge was completed in…

Under this very tree, modern Tulsa was born. After being forced from their ancestral lands in the southeastern United States, the Lochapoka Tribal Town of the Creek Nation arrived in Indian Territory in 1836. They chose…

Ever heard of the Tulsa Sound? This unassuming building, The Church Studio, is right at its heart. In 1972, music legend Leon Russell transformed this former church into a recording haven. Artists like Tom Petty, Willie…

A 76-foot oil worker statue in Tulsa. Oklahoma's unofficial mascot since 1953.

Pull over here for a minute, I want to show you something cool. This little gas station is more than just a place to fill up - it's a time capsule! Built in 1940 by Cities Service, which you probably know better as…

An Italian Renaissance villa built in 1927 by oil baron Waite Phillips, donated to Tulsa as an art museum in 1938.

Pull over for a minute and check out this beauty – the Casa Loma Hotel! It’s more than just a building; it's a piece of Tulsa's history right here on Route 66. Built in 1927 by Max Campbell, it was originally known as…

Founded by Thomas Gilcrease, an Osage oil millionaire, this Tulsa museum holds the world's largest collection of art and artifacts of the American West.

Ever notice that quirky building? It's the Riverside Studio, and it's way more than just a pretty face. Back in 1928, a music teacher named Patti Adams Shriner commissioned a young architect, Bruce Goff, to design her a…

This vintage gas station is way more than just a place to fill up – it's a time capsule from the early days of Route 66! Back in 1929, when cars were still a novelty for many, this Sinclair station was built right on…

Pull over here for a minute; this unassuming little motel tells a big story about the Mother Road. The 66 Motel in Tulsa, built around 1933, was originally known as El Reposo Court. It sat right on the original two-lane…

Hey there! Check out that beautiful building – Will Rogers High School. It's way more than just a school; it’s a piece of Tulsa history. Back in 1939, Tulsa was still recovering from the Depression. The city hired…

Towering over the Tulsa Fairgrounds (Expo Square, near 21st Street and Pittsburg Avenue) is the Golden Driller, a 76-foot, 43,500-pound statue of an oil worker resting one hand on a real derrick salvaged from a depleted…

Prepare to be wowed by a house that looks like nothing else in Tulsa! This is Westhope, a Frank Lloyd Wright creation right here in Oklahoma. Richard Lloyd Jones, Wright's cousin and the publisher of the Tulsa Tribune,…

You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, the story of conservation is unfolding. Back in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1937</say-as>, Oklahoma passed a law to help farmers protect their soil. This…

You're driving through Tulsa right now, passing through the historic Greenwood District, once known as Black Wall Street. In the early 1900s, this was a vibrant, nationally renowned center of Black entrepreneurship,…

You're driving through Tulsa, and right here, you're passing through the site of one of the most horrific racial tragedies in American history: the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. <break time="400ms"/> For eighteen hours on…

You're driving through Tulsa, the birthplace of one of America's most infamous criminal families: the Barkers. Arizona 'Ma' Clark Barker moved her four sons here around 1910, and trouble followed them like a shadow.…

Right here in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is where country music superstar Garth Brooks was born! Known originally as Troyal Garth Brooks, he grew up just down the road in Yukon. Today, he's not just a country star, he's the…

Right now, you're driving through the heart of Oklahoma's oil capital, Tulsa. But did you know this boom started just south of here, in what became the Glenn Pool? In 1905, Robert Galbreath and his partners drilled down…

You're driving through Tulsa, Oklahoma, the birthplace of Joy Harjo, the first Native American to be named U.S. Poet Laureate. Born in 1951, Harjo's journey began with visual arts and theater before she found her true…

You're driving through Tulsa, Oklahoma, the hometown of a literary legend. Right here, in this city, Susan Eloise Hinton was a high school junior. In 1967, while still a student, she published her first novel, 'The…

You're driving through Tulsa right now, and you're passing through a place with a painful past. On May 31st and June 1st of 1921, a devastating outbreak of racial violence erupted here. In just eighteen hours,…

You're driving through Tulsa right now, and the Tulsa Tribune, which used to be right here, played a role in one of Oklahoma's darkest days. On May 31st, 1921, an editorial in the Tribune ignited racial tensions. The…

You're cruising through Oklahoma, and right here, you might be near where a whole genre of music found its voice and grew up: Western Swing! Born from a mix of jazz, blues, and country, this dance music with a Western…

Right here in Tulsa, you're driving through the heart of Western Swing! This is where Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys found their voice. In 1934, after a legal battle in Texas, Wills moved his band to Tulsa and KVOO…

Right here, you're driving past the heart of a man who helped put Oklahoma on the map... literally! Cyrus "Cy" Avery wasn't just an oilman; he was a visionary for highways. He championed the Albert Pike Highway and was…

You're driving through Tulsa, the heart of Oklahoma's oil country. Right here, in the 1960s, a man named Dewey Bartlett was making history. He wasn't just an oilman, though he was that too. Bartlett became Oklahoma's…

Right here in Tulsa, you're passing one of the most stunning examples of Art Deco architecture in the entire country: the Boston Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church. Built between 1924 and 1929, this isn't your typical…

You're driving through Osage County, and right here is a place tied to one of Oklahoma's richest men, James Allen Chapman. Born in Texas, he arrived in Oklahoma in 1901 and quickly became an oil tycoon. He co-founded…

Right here in Tulsa, you're driving past the birthplace of a funk and R&B legend: the Gap Band! Formed in 1967 by the Wilson brothers, Ronnie, Charlie, and Robert, the band got its name from the streets of Tulsa's…

Right here in Tulsa, you're driving past the legacy of William Thomas Gilcrease, a Creek oilman who struck it rich and used his fortune to preserve American Indian history. Born in Louisiana in 1890, his family moved to…

You're driving through Tulsa, and right here is the Gilcrease Museum. It holds an incredible collection of American art and artifacts, all thanks to its founder, Thomas Gilcrease. He was a member of the Creek Nation,…

You're driving through Tulsa, and right here is a building designed by Bruce Goff, a Tulsa native who became one of America's most original architects. Even as a teenager, Goff was working in architectural offices,…

You're driving through Tulsa right now, and you're surrounded by Sylvan Goldman's invention. In 1936, right here in Oklahoma, Goldman invented the shopping cart! He saw people struggling to carry their groceries, so he…

You're driving through Tulsa right now, and you're passing through the very spot where this city began. Back in 1882, James Monroe Hall, a businessman, saw an opportunity with the arrival of the railroad. He convinced…

Right here in Tulsa, Oklahoma, you're driving past the birthplace of a voice that defined radio for millions. Paul Harvey Aurandt, later known as Paul Harvey, was born September 4, 1918. His father, a Tulsa police…

Right here in Tulsa, you're driving past the legacy of the International Petroleum Exposition, or IPE. For over fifty years, this was the absolute epicenter of the oil world, a place where the latest technology was…

Right here in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was born Phyllis Isley, who would become the legendary Jennifer Jones. She started young, making her stage debut at age five and starring in school plays. After studying in New York, she…

You're driving through Tulsa, near the historic Greenwood district, once known as 'Black Wall Street.' Right here, Juneteenth on Greenwood comes alive every year, starting in 1989. It's a massive celebration of…

Right here in Tulsa, you're driving past the hometown of Steve Largent, a name that might ring a bell if you're a football fan. Born in 1954, Largent wasn't just good; he was legendary. While playing for the University…

Right here in Tulsa, you're driving past the birthplace of a fishing revolution! Back in 1957, Carl Lowrance and his sons started a company that would change how we explore the water. In 1965, they brought their…

You're driving through Tulsa right now, and just up ahead, you're passing the site of one of Oklahoma's most violent and longest labor disputes: the Mid-Continent Refinery Strike. It all kicked off in December <say-as…

Right here in Tulsa, you're passing through the hometown of Kenneth Dale Monday, a wrestling legend who shattered barriers. Born in 1961, Monday wasn't just a champion; he was a pioneer. In 1980, he became the first…

Right here in Oklahoma, you're driving past a story of words fighting back. The first African American newspaper, the Oklahoma Guide, hit the streets in 1889, the same year Oklahoma Territory opened. Then came the…

You're driving through Tulsa right now, past a place that looks like it's from the future: Oral Roberts University. Founded in 1962 by evangelist Oral Roberts, this place is famous for its striking, almost sci-fi…

Right here in Tulsa, you're driving past a place that started as a private home but became a national treasure. In 1938, Waite and Genevieve Phillips donated their stunning estate, Villa Philbrook, to the city, creating…

You're driving through Tulsa, and right here, you're passing the legacy of Waite Phillips, a titan of Oklahoma's oil industry. Born in Iowa in 1883, Phillips came to Indian Territory in 1906 and struck gold in oil. He…

Right here in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was born Leonard Rosenberg, better known to millions as Tony Randall. You might remember him as Felix Unger on the classic TV show 'The Odd Couple,' a role that earned him an Emmy. But…

You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, you're passing through the heart of the oil industry that put this state on the map. And a big part of that story is William Grove Skelly. Born in Pennsylvania, Skelly…

You're driving through Tulsa, and right here, in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1921</say-as>, A. J. Smitherman's world exploded. He was a fierce voice for Oklahoma's Black community, publishing the Muskogee…

Right here in Tulsa, you're driving past the birthplace of Oklahoma's softball craze! It all kicked off in 1930 when Bud Howe, a YMCA director, introduced the game. Just a few years later, in 1934 and '35, softball…

Right here in Tulsa, you're driving past the legacy of the Spartan Aircraft Company. Founded in 1928 by oilman Bill Skelly, this wasn't just about making planes; it was about pioneering aviation in Oklahoma. They built…

Right here in Tulsa, Oklahoma, you're driving past the birthplace of Wayman Tisdale, a true Oklahoma legend! He wasn't just a basketball star, though he was incredible – the first college player ever to be named an…

Right here in what is now Tulsa County, Oklahoma, history was made during the Civil War. On December 9th, 1861, Confederate Colonel Douglas H. Cooper clashed with Opothleyahola and his followers near Bird Creek. This…

Right here in Tulsa, you're driving past the legacy of the Tulsa World! It all started back in 1905 when James F. McCoy and J. R. Brady published the very first issue. But the real story? It's how the paper, under…

Right here in Tulsa, you're driving past the heart of a company that built the arteries of modern America. Williams Companies started small, building sidewalks in Arkansas back in 1908. But by 1918, they moved to Tulsa,…

You're driving through Tulsa, and right here is where a fishing revolution started. Back in 1949, a local company, the Zero Hour Bomb Company, was looking for a new product. They partnered with inventor R. D. Hull, who…

Right here in Tulsa, you're driving past the legacy of John Smith Zink, a man who left his mark on both industry and the Indy 500. His father founded the John Zink Company back in 1929, making combustion units for the…

You're driving through Tulsa, the heart of a company that started small in Texas but grew into a global food giant right here. In 1937, Paul Marshall opened a branch of his family's pie shop, and it quickly became the…

Right here in Tulsa, Oklahoma, lived William Boyd, the actor who became the legendary Hopalong Cassidy. He moved to Indian Territory with his family back in 1906. While his father tragically died here in a work…

You're driving through Tulsa, and right here is where Wyatt Tate Brady, a pioneer entrepreneur, helped shape this city. Arriving in 1890 as a shoe salesman, he quickly opened one of Tulsa's first mercantile stores and…

Right here, you're driving through a piece of Oklahoma's wild frontier history! Meet Colonel Charles C. Carpenter, a flamboyant character who styled himself after General Custer. He was a 'boomer,' a promoter of…

Right here, in Tulsa, you're driving past the heart of a musical revolution! In the 1940s, Al Clauser and his band, the Oklahoma Outlaws, weren't just playing music; they were defining it. Clauser, a pioneer, claimed to…

You're driving through Tulsa, the home of Ernie Fields, a bandleader who made his mark on the Southwest's music scene. Born in Texas and raised in Oklahoma, Fields settled in Tulsa and led The Royal Entertainers, one of…

You're driving through Tulsa, and right here, you're passing through the legacy of Jay Forsythe. Born in Tennessee in 1847, Forsythe was a cattleman who first fell in love with Indian Territory while driving herds…

You're driving through Tulsa, and right here is where a hockey dynasty was born! Back in 1928, the Tulsa Oilers hit the ice for the American Hockey Association. And guess what? They didn't just play; they dominated,…

You're driving through Tulsa, the birthplace of Wilson Hurley, a renowned Western artist. Born in 1924, Hurley's life was a fascinating blend of duty and art. He graduated from West Point, served as a pilot in the Air…

You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, you're passing through the history of a governor who led the state through one of its darkest hours. Frank Keating served as Oklahoma's governor from 1995 to 2002. He was…

You're driving near Tulsa, and right here, the Lasley Vore Site tells a story from the early 1700s. This was a village of hunter-farmers, likely Wichita people, living a semi-permanent life. They were using stone tools,…

You're driving through Tulsa, and right here, the city owes a lot to Howard Orton McClure. He arrived in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1905</say-as>, opening a hardware store. But McClure was more than a…

You're driving through Tulsa, the "Oil Capital of the World." Right here, in the early 1900s, independent oilman Robert McFarlin was making history. After trying his hand at farming and banking, McFarlin struck gold...…

You're driving through Tulsa right now, and you're passing through history made by a man who called himself 'the Boy Preacher.' George W. Mowbray, born in England, arrived here in 1887 as a Methodist missionary. He…

You're cruising through Tulsa, and right here is the home of a publication that's been the pulse of the oil and gas industry for over a century. It started in Texas in 1902 as the Oil Investors Journal, but in 1910, a…

You're driving through Tulsa, and right here, in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1901</say-as>, Daniel Webster Patton and his brother surveyed and platted this very town. Patton was an engineer who shaped much of…

Right here in Tulsa, you're driving past a place with a rich past. Josiah Chouteau Perryman was born in 1840, a descendant of Creek chiefs. He fought for both the Confederacy and the Union during the Civil War, a…

Right here in Tulsa, you're driving past a place connected to Adah Robinson, a true art institution for three decades. Born in Indiana in 1882, she moved to Oklahoma in 1905, teaching art in Oklahoma City before heading…

You're driving through Tulsa, a city that owes a lot to its early luxury hotels. Right here, in the early 1900s, Wallace N. Robinson transformed a simple livery stable into the Alcorn Hotel, Tulsa's very first luxury…

Right here in Oklahoma, you're driving through the heart of what was once a massive oil empire. In 1916, Harry Sinclair, who’d made his fortune buying up oil leases across the state, formed the Sinclair Oil and Refining…

You're driving through Tulsa, and right here, in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1938</say-as>, two Oklahomans decided to bring back a fading American sound: barbershop quartets. It started with a small meeting…

Right here, you're passing through Tulsa, the city that Grant Stebbins helped build. He arrived in 1904 and immediately started shaping the landscape. He brought Tulsa its first municipal gas source with the People's…

You're driving past Tulsa, and right here is where a magazine aimed at making Oklahoma famous got its start. Sturm's Oklahoma Magazine, originally called Sturm's Statehood Magazine, began publishing in September 1905.…

Right here in Tulsa, you're driving past a giant of American industry during World War II and the Cold War! This massive facility, Air Force Plant 3, was built in just a few months starting in 1941, thanks to a $750,000…

You're heading into Tulsa, and right here is the site of the Tulsa State Fair, a massive event that draws over a million visitors each year! Its roots go way back to street fairs in the 1890s. By 1913, Tulsa hosted the…

You're driving through Tulsa, and right here is the University of Tulsa. But did you know its story started way back in 1882, not as a university, but as a Presbyterian boarding school for Indian girls in Muskogee? It…

Right here in Tulsa, you might have tuned into a radio show that ran for decades, but it wasn't Bob Wills you were listening to! It was his brother, Johnnie Lee Wills. While Bob and the Texas Playboys were famous,…

You're driving through Tulsa right now, and you might just be passing by a legacy of Alfred Aaronson. Though born in New York, this oil executive arrived in Tulsa in 1913 and dedicated his life to building this city. In…

You're driving through Tulsa, and right here is where a company with deep roots in Oklahoma's oil boom got its start. In 1919, Frank Hinderliter established the Hinderliter Tool Company, building on patents for oil-rig…

Right here in Oklahoma, you're driving past a place that was home to Alexandre Hogue, an artist who captured the Dust Bowl's devastating impact. Hogue painted the drought-stricken Great Plains in the 1930s, bringing…

You're driving through Tulsa, the city that shaped a powerful Oklahoma politician: James Inhofe. For decades, Inhofe was a fixture in Washington D.C., representing Oklahoma in both the House and the Senate. But before…

You're driving through Tulsa, and right here is where Edith Rhoda Force Kassing spent decades teaching science. Born in 1890, she moved to Tulsa in 1926 and taught at Woodrow Wilson Junior High until 1956. But she…

You're driving through Tulsa, and right here, you're passing through the territory of Eugene Lorton, a giant of Oklahoma journalism. For nearly forty years, from 1911 to 1949, Lorton owned and published the Tulsa World,…

Right here in Tulsa, you're passing through the birthplace of a jazz legend! Howard "Maggie" McGhee was born here in 1918 and went on to become a trumpet virtuoso and a pioneer of the bebop movement. He played with the…

You're driving through Tulsa right now, and the man who served this city as mayor for a record eight terms, Herman Newblock, might have crossed your path. Known affectionately as "Uncle Herman," he was a fixture in…

You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, you're passing through a piece of its military history. The Oklahoma Air National Guard got its start way back in 1940, just before World War II. The very first unit, the…

Right here in Tulsa, you're driving past the home of the Oklahoma Scottish Games! Since 1980, this annual event has celebrated Scottish heritage with incredible feats of strength like the caber toss and the sheaf toss.…

You're driving past Tulsa, the hometown of Jay Philip O'Meilia, a sports artist who rose to national fame in the 1950s. O'Meilia captured the action of sports like tennis, polo, and baseball, earning first place in…

You're cruising through Tulsa, and right here is the heart of the annual Tulsa International Mayfest! It all started back in 1973 as Jubilee '73, a celebration by the Tulsa Junior League for their 50th anniversary. Over…

You're driving through Tulsa, and right here is the story of the Tulsa Philharmonic Orchestra. It started way back in 1926 as the Tulsa Civic Symphony, a small group of local musicians. By 1948, it was reorganized and…

You're driving through Tulsa, and right here is the birthplace of a company that helped build Oklahoma's oil boom and then the nation's defense. The Tulsa Rig and Reel Manufacturing Company started in 1908, supplying…

You're driving through Tulsa, home of Elvin Bishop, one of America's great blues guitarists. Born in California in 1942, Bishop moved to Tulsa at age ten. He attended local schools before riding a scholarship to the…

You're driving through Tulsa, a city that was booming with oil when a future giant of American scholarship arrived. Daniel J. Boorstin, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and former Librarian of Congress, moved here with…

You're cruising through Tulsa, the birthplace of David Gates, the mastermind behind the 1970s soft-rock band Bread. Born right here on December 11, 1940, Gates started out playing rockabilly before heading to Los…

You're driving through Tulsa, the birthplace of broadcast journalist Jim Hartz. He started right here, working at local radio stations before landing a gig hosting the Sun Up morning show on KOTV in 1962. This local…

Right here in Tulsa, you're driving past a landmark of Greek culture in Oklahoma. In 1925, Tulsa's Greek immigrants founded the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church. They broke ground in 1927 and held their first service…

You're driving through Tulsa, the city where Everette Burgess Howard made his home and built a career that spanned business and politics. He arrived here in 1905, diving into the booming oil and gas industries, and…

You're driving through Tulsa right now, and you're passing through a city shaped by the vision of Robert LaFortune. He wasn't just an oilman; he was a civic leader who helped build this city. From <say-as…

You're driving through Tulsa, and right here is a place connected to Lilah Denton Lindsey. Born in 1860 in Indian Territory, she was a civic leader and organizer. Lindsey was instrumental in establishing the Tulsa…

You're driving through Tulsa, Oklahoma, the birthplace of a man who would become a giant in American politics and scholarship: Daniel Patrick Moynihan. Born right here in Tulsa on March 16, 1927, Moynihan's early years…

You're driving through Tulsa right now, a city that once sent a Congressman to Washington D.C. Charles O'Connor arrived here in 1919, a lawyer from Colorado. He tried for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1924 but…

You're driving through Tulsa, and right here, you're passing by the site of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. Built in 1928, this church was a spiritual home for Mexican coal miners and zinc smelter workers who'd come to…

You're driving through eastern Oklahoma, and right here, you're passing through the heart of the Public Service Company of Oklahoma's territory. Incorporated in 1913, this company has been powering our state for over a…

You're driving through Tulsa, and right here is a testament to faith and community. Back in the late 1800s, families from the Middle East, many adhering to the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church, began arriving in…

You're driving through Tulsa, and right here is the story of Tulsa Community College. Back in 1969, Tulsa desperately needed a public college, so state lawmakers stepped in and chartered Tulsa Junior College. The first…

Right here in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is the birthplace of Alfre Woodard, one of our state's most successful actors! Born in 1952, she's graced over fifty films and countless television shows. You might remember her from hits…

Right here in Sand Springs, Oklahoma, you're driving past the birthplace of Marques Haynes, the man they called the world's greatest dribbler! <break time="400ms"/> In 1941, as a high schooler, he led his team to a…

You're driving past Sand Springs, and right here is the legacy of Charles E. Page. He wasn't just an oilman; he was the father of this town. Page struck it rich in Oklahoma oil, but instead of just enjoying his fortune,…

You're driving through Sand Springs, Oklahoma, home of a true country music legend: Hank Thompson. Born in Texas in 1925, Thompson was a prodigy, hosting his own radio show as a teenager. He served in the Navy during…

Right here, you're driving through Sand Springs, a town born from a remarkable act of generosity. In 1908, oil millionaire Charles E. Page bought 160 acres with a dream: to create a home for orphaned children. He…

You're driving through Tulsa County, and right here, in Sand Springs, was once a major hub for Oklahoma's glass industry! Back in the early 1900s, the state struck gold with its abundant natural gas and high-quality…

You're driving near Sperry, Oklahoma, right where a desperate Civil War battle unfolded in December 1861. This was the Battle of Chusto-Talasah, a brutal clash over loyalty and freedom. Chief Opothleyahola and his Creek…

You're driving north of Tulsa, on Highway 11, and you're passing through Sperry. This town got its start in 1902, not as a town, but as a post office serving scattered farmers. Things really picked up when the Midland…

You're driving through Jenks, Oklahoma, a town with a surprisingly specific origin story. It was officially platted in 1905, but its name comes from a director of the railroad company that built the Midland Valley line.…

A smiling blue whale sculpture you can climb built by a man for his wife. Route 66 classic.

Right here, near Catoosa, is the Port of Catoosa, the northernmost point of the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System. Dedicated in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1971</say-as> by President Nixon, this…

You're driving past Catoosa, Oklahoma, and right here, in 1971, this town became the northern anchor of a massive waterway project. President Richard Nixon himself came to dedicate the Port of Catoosa, part of the…

You're driving through Oklahoma, and right here, you're passing through the area where Tommy Allsup was born near Owasso. Allsup was a legendary Western-swing guitarist who played with Buddy Holly. In fact, he was on…

You're driving past Sapulpa, Oklahoma, home to Frankoma Pottery! Back in 1933, during the Great Depression, John Frank started Oklahoma's first commercial pottery in Norman. He experimented with local clays, eventually…

You're driving past Sapulpa, and right here is where Oklahoma's first major oil field, the Glenn Pool, was born. It all started with the Ida Glenn Number One well, drilled by Robert Galbreath in 1905. He leased the land…

Right here, you're driving through the heart of Oklahoma's oil country, the very place that inspired a young man named William Kelly Warren to strike it rich. He arrived in Sapulpa in 1916, awestruck by the booming…

You're driving through Creek County, and right here is where Mabel Bassett made her mark. For over two decades, from 1923 to 1947, she served as Oklahoma's Commissioner of Charities and Corrections. She championed…

Right here in Sapulpa, you're driving past the stomping grounds of Myrtle Archer McDougal, a woman who literally changed the face of politics and women's rights in Oklahoma and beyond. Arriving in 1904, she didn't just…

You're driving through Sapulpa, a town born from a railroad stop and named for Chief James Sapulpa, a Lower Creek leader. Back in 1886, the railroad needed a place to lay its tracks, and this spot became Sapulpa…

You're driving past Owasso right now, and you might notice the name. Did you know it means 'the end' or 'the turn around'? Back in 1897, the Kansas, Oklahoma Central and Southwestern Railway built a depot here, about a…

You're driving through Creek County, and right here, a bitter battle for county seat status raged! When Oklahoma became a state in 1907, Sapulpa was named the temporary county seat. But Bristow wanted the title. The…

Right here in Oklahoma, back in 1934, a powerful group called the American Indian Federation was formed. Led by Joseph Bruner, a wealthy Creek man from Sapulpa, this organization pushed back against federal Indian…

Ever wonder where a pottery mogul lives? You're about to find out. The John Frank House, designed by architect Bruce Goff, is a unique example of mid-century modern architecture right here in Creek County.Commissioned…

Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, sits squarely in what was once Indian Territory, a place deliberately set aside for the forced relocation of Native American tribes in the 19th century. While many tribes were affected, the…

You're driving through Osage County, near Skiatook, and right here is the site of a desperate Civil War battle. It's December 1861, and Creek Chief Opothleyahola is leading about seventeen hundred refugees, many women…

You're driving through Osage County, and right here is the former site of Hoots Ranch, famous for a promise kept. It started in 1873 when the Captain family, Osage members, settled near Hominy Creek. Later, Rosa Captain…

You're driving through Skiatook, a town with roots stretching back to 1872. It all started when William C. Rogers, chief of the Cherokee Nation, set up a trading post near Bird Creek. The post office opened that year,…

The 1905 Glenn Pool oil strike, one of the largest discoveries of its era, made Tulsa the Oil Capital of the World and launched Oklahoma's petroleum industry.

You're driving through what used to be Oklahoma's first major oil play: the Glenn Pool Field. Right here, in 1905, a secret well called Ida E. Glenn Number One spudded in, hoping to avoid the chaos of previous…

You're driving past Glenpool, a town born from a gusher! Right here, in 1905, wildcatter Robert Galbreath struck oil at a depth of nearly 1,500 feet. This was the Glenn Pool Field, one of the largest oil discoveries in…

You're driving through Oklahoma, but did you know this land might be hiding secrets of America's most infamous outlaws? While historians doubt it, local legends say the James brothers, Frank and Jesse, actually hid out…

Right here in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, is where Ralph Blane, born Ralph Hunsecker, got his start. You might know his work, even if you don't know his name. Blane was the lyricist behind some of Hollywood's most beloved…

You're driving past Broken Arrow, a town that owes its existence to a railroad and a creek. The Missouri, Kansas, and Texas Railway, the Katy, reached this spot on April 13, 1903. The townsite was laid out by William S.…

A giant blue concrete whale built by Hugh Davis in 1972 as an anniversary gift for his wife, now one of the most photographed Route 66 landmarks.

Just east of Catoosa at 2680 N OK-66, a grinning concrete blue whale lounges at the edge of a spring-fed pond. Hugh Davis, a Tulsa Zoo director, built it as an anniversary surprise for his wife Zelta, who collected…

You're driving through Kiefer, Oklahoma, a town that exploded onto the map thanks to oil! This place, originally called Praper, became a major hub after the massive Glenn Pool oil field was discovered in 1905. Imagine…

You're driving through Bixby, right on the edge of Tulsa. Did you know this town owes its very existence to the Dawes Commission? Back in the 1890s, this area was Creek Nation land. But in 1899, a post office popped up,…

Right here, you're passing through Collinsville, a town that was once the site of 'The Last Great Pow-Wow Before Statehood.' Imagine this: October 1907. Leaders like Geronimo and Quanah Parker gathered here for an…

Right here in Osage County, you're passing through Prue, a town with a story as fluid as the waters that reshaped it. Originally named for Henry Prue, this spot became a railroad stop in the early 1900s, and soon, oil…

You're driving east of Tulsa, right past Fair Oaks, a town that incorporated in 1966 to avoid being gobbled up by the big city. At first, it was just twenty people on two hundred acres. But then, in 1969, Fair Oaks…

You're driving through Kellyville, a town that started as a trading post back in 1892. It quickly grew, getting a post office in 1893 and a railroad connection by 1898, linking it to the wider world. By 1919, it was a…

You're driving through Mannford, a town with a unique story of survival. Originally established near a Cimarron River crossing named Mann's Ford, it grew into a shipping point for cattle thanks to the railroad. But in…

You're driving through Mounds, Creek County, and right here is a town that boomed thanks to oil! Originally a shipping point for cattle, Mounds transformed after 1905 when the nearby Glenn Pool Field exploded onto the…

Right here in Oklahoma, folks have been raising chickens and turkeys since the early 1800s! Initially, it was just for families to eat, but by the early 1900s, the state saw big potential. In <say-as interpret-as="date"…